Multi-Application Environment With Edge Gesture Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operating systems require significant display space for window frames and management controls, making it time-consuming and annoying for users to manage multiple computing applications.
Innovation Solution
A multi-application environment that presents multiple applications without dedicating significant display space to window frames, using immersive interfaces and edge gestures or a user interface management menu to manage applications, allowing for sizing, moving, and selecting previously-interacted-with applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional window frames and management controls are used to present multiple applications, then applications can be managed and displayed, but significant display space is occupied and management becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes traditional window frames and their management controls from the application presentation interface. Applications are displayed in a frameless manner, eliminating the need for visible window borders, title bars, and control buttons that traditionally occupied significant display space. This extraction principle directly resolves the contradiction by removing the harmful elements (window frames) while preserving the essential function (application display and management).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a task indicator bar as an intermediary element that mediates between the frameless application display and the system's window management functionality. The task indicator bar provides application switching and management capabilities without requiring traditional window frames, allowing users to manage multiple applications through a compact intermediary interface rather than through bulky window controls.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional window management controls are provided for each application, then applications can be individually managed, but the interface becomes complex and controls occupy excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
The task indicator bar serves as a universal control mechanism that handles multiple application management functions (switching, minimizing, maximizing, closing) for all applications through a single unified interface. Instead of providing separate controls for each application window, this multi-functional intermediary handles all management tasks centrally, reducing interface complexity while maintaining full adaptability for managing multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple individual window controls (title bars, minimize buttons, maximize buttons, close buttons) into a single consolidated task indicator bar. This combining of previously separate control elements into one unified interface reduces overall complexity while preserving all necessary application management capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable multi-application environments having combinations of immersive interfaces, windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface.